Breast Fitness

The statistics on breast cancer can be alarming--one new diagnosis is made every three minutes and one woman dies of the disease every 12 minutes. Newer research has led physicians to call for changes not just in initial treatment but in diet and exercise as well. In this well-organized guide, authors McTiernan, Gralow (breast-cancer physicians) and Talbot (a fitness and rehabilitation worker) show women how to incorporate these lifestyle changes into their lives. In the book's first half the authors outline the current medical findings, and in the second they discuss ways to fit exercise into a busy life, use goals to stay motivated and develop an exercise plan. There are exercises for cancer patients as well as specific exercise regimens for cancer patients recovering from surgery and healthy women using exercise as a preventive measure. To inspire readers along the way, the book is filled with photographs of cancer survivors training or competing in marathons, triathlons and other sporting events. (Many of them are members of Team Survivor Northwest, a nonprofit group that is devoted to helping cancer survivors remain healthy and which Talbot cofounded.) In addition, the authors review various treatment options in nonalarmist terms that are easy to understand. Though many of the authors' suggestions are based upon theories still undergoing testing (such as the idea that high estrogen levels increase breast cancer risk), they clearly explicate their reasoning so readers can make educated decisions about how to treat and prevent the disease. (Oct.)